1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to multiple piece buckles having at least one male member and one female member which are disengaged by depressing a resilient flap or the like on one of the members.
2. Description of Related Art
Assorted two-piece buckles are known in the art. These buckles typically include a female or socket member which is engageable with a male or plug member. One or both of the members adjustably or fixedly hold a strap or belt around crossbars or the like. One particularly common form of two-piece buckle is one in which the plug member includes a pair of legs which, when inserted into the socket member, flex inwardly and slide past opposing stop members in the socket until they snap fit into respective side openings in the socket. The two buckle pieces are disengaged by squeezing the legs of the plug member through the openings in the socket between the thumb and forefinger, thereby freeing the legs from the respective stop members in the socket and allowing the two pieces of the buckle to become separated. Cooperating canted or arcuate surfaces on the legs and the interior of the socket member facilitate movement of the plug and socket away from each other when they are disengaged, and the flexed legs exert a spring like force to urge the plug member out.
Although these so-called "side release" buckles have found wide use in luggage, baggage, sporting equipment, etc., they have not found universal acceptance because in certain applications it is desirable to be able to release the buckle pieces in a different manner (i.e., without squeezing the buckle between opposite sides with two fingers). For example, in certain applications where someone wearing mittens may find it difficult to open a side release buckle, it is desirable to have a buckle which can be released with less dexterity. Accordingly, two-piece buckles have been developed which are releasable by depressing a button or the like on a top face of one of the buckle members. Examples of these types of buckles are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,802,262; 4,864,700; 4,866,819; and 4,894,890 to Kasai. The plug member of these buckles includes a locking lug near the distal end thereof which, when inserted into the socket member, slides over a stopper crossbar in the socket. Once it is beyond the stopper bar, the locking lug snaps into place behind it thereby preventing the plug member from being removed. The two pieces of the buckle are disengaged by depressing a resilient flap located in the center region of a top or bottom face of the socket member. The flap is hinged along a line which is transverse to the direction of insertion of the plug into the socket. The inside surface of the flap has a releasing lug which acts on the locking lug of the plug member to push it away from the stopper bar, thereby freeing the plug member from the socket member. Thus, these types of buckles merely require one finger to push down on the flap or button to disengage the two pieces.
However, one drawback to this push button-type buckle is that when the button is pushed, the two pieces do not "spring out" from each other with the same ease as in a side release buckle where the two flexed legs on the plug member supply the force to result in such a spring action during disengagement. Rather, the buckles described by Kasai rely on beveled or canted surfaces on the stopper bar and locking lug to help urge the two buckle pieces apart during disengagement. However, this arrangement is not as effective as the spring action imparted by the resiliently flexible legs of the side release type buckles.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to combine the spring action of a side release buckle with the single push button releasing mechanism of a push button type buckle.